Brownback: Budget Proposals Not Open Records

Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback has signed into law a measure that creates an independent task force to review the state's child welfare system.

Gov. Sam Brownback’s administration has declared that budget proposals forwarded to the governor by state agencies are “draft” documents and not subject to the state’s open records laws.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports Brownback budget director Shawn Sullivan told Cabinet agency staff members recently that budget proposals are internal documents and not subject to the Kansas Open Records Act.

Brownback spokeswoman Eileen Hawley says the governor’s past and current position has been that draft budget documents are not public information until he releases his budget recommendations to the Legislature.

Even so, in December 2014 Sullivan shared with select lobbyists an outline of Brownback’s ideas for filling a budget hole driven by massive income tax cuts.